The Hunted – review from our Drama Artist

An eerie atmosphere descends into the theatre when the house lights go out and the only thing we see are dimly lit bulbs hanging from the stage. The bulbs illuminate a mysterious place: the forest, a place of intrigue, the unknown, a place filled with suspense, desire and fear. And so begins the atmospheric and bold reworking of Red Riding Hood by the award winning and ambitious Visible Fictions.

“Once upon a time” the actors begin before quickly telling us that this is not ‘once upon a time’ like other fairy tales. This tale is of any time, of now. And it’s not simply about a girl who walks into a forest on her way to granny’s, but about us, you and me, and the choices we do or don’t take.

Meet the girl. She wants to be a hunter. So the hunter takes her on as his apprentice as they go in search of the infamous white wolf that lives in the forest. But her decision, having been led by her desires, has her begin a journey that sees her being the apprentice-hunter to becoming the hunted. It’s tense, pacey and, aptly, captivating.

The presence of the wolf is subtly played by each of the three performers, in turn prowling the back of the stage – a neat device evoking a real sense that the wolf is very near, too near even.

The play also cleverly uses a kaleidoscope. Look into and turn a kaleidoscope you’ll see the pieces fall to create different possible images. With The Hunted, the analogy is clear – the choices we make, even the most insignificant, create different possible worlds. It is with the kaleidoscope that the girl reveals an ending with an unsuspected twist. Closer to reality than you might first imagine…

Spread the word:

Like this:

Related

About macrobertmacrobert arts centre offers an exciting programme of events that welcomes everyone.
Choose from a fantastic programme of live events including theatre, dance and music. There is also a full cinema programme with films showing to suit all ages and tastes. There are lots of fun activities for children and young people: creative factories, supervised arts and craft sessions in treehouse, tailor made birthday parties, and youth theatre and dance groups.
TICKETS AND INFORMATION LINE 01786 466666
You can also follow macrobert on Facebook , Twitter and Bebo. For special offers and to get all the macrobert news first, sign up for our weekly e-bulletin via www.macrobert.org.